Stone-clamp



(No Model.)

Ml JE HAWL-EY.

STONE CLAMP.

No. 552,759.` PatentedJan. 7, `1896.`

Nirn STATES ATENT muon.

STON E-CLAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 552,759, dated January7, 18961. Application iiledAugust l0, 1894. Serial No. 519,988. (Nomodel.)

.To all wiz/0m t may concern:

Beit known that I, M J HAWLEY, a citizen of the United States, residingin the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Stone- Clamps; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in stone-clamps, and moreparticularly to that class employed for elevating and positioning slabsor blocks of marble in the operation of treating their edges on arubbing-bed.

The prime objects of my inventionarenirst, to increase the range betweenthe clampingfaces over the ordinary pivoted jawed clamp now generallyused, thereby adapting the clamp to the reception, at the same time, ofa plurality of slabs or blocks; second, to so construct and assemble theclamping-faces relative to the arms of the clamp that the former arecapable of revolution independent of the latter, thereby permitting theslab or slabs to be readily revolved while in a clamped position, andadjacent edges treated on the rubbing-bed, without the necessity ofreadjusting the clamping-jaws; third, to so construct the clamp that itsposition, in the operation of treating the slabs or blocks, is such asto supply the additional function of a le ver by which the position ofthe slabs may be readily shifted, and, fourth, to accomplish these endswith structural simplicity and economy.

The novelty resides in the peculiarities of construction, and thecombination, arrange ment and adaptation of parts, all as more fullyhereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved form of clamp. Fig. 2 is a plan view, and Fig. 3 is a verticalsection through the line X X, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side view of theplates which retain the bearing-plates in position. y

I will now explain in detail the construction and operation of myinvention, reference being had to the above iigures.

The main body of the clamp consists of two parallel arms or members A A'constructed of steel'I-shaped beams, which are held at the requireddistance apart, and securely bound to form a rigid structure, by meansof the transverse channel-beam B and Iwbrace C, 'the former beingsituated at corresponding extremities of the beams A A' and bolted tothe flanges thereof, while the latter is bolted to the lianges at apoint distant from the channel-beam B about one-third the length of thebeams A A', thereby allowing the remaining two-thirds of the beams toremain free and open.

Securely bolted to the web of the beams A A'at their extremities are thecastings D D', respectively, which are so perforated and internallythreaded as to admit the. screw clamps E E', whose line of adjustment isat right angles to the longitude of the members A A'.

Swivelly connected to the inner extremities of these screw-clamps EE'are the clamping faces F F', respectively, which are retained inposition by the construction shown in Fig. 3-nam'ely,the innerextremities of the screws F. E' enter corresponding cavities Gin thefaces F F' and bear against the loose bearingplates IiI, being held inthat position during the adjustment of the screws E E' by means of theplates I I', which are formed in two halves and engage with peripheralgrooves near the extremities of the screws E E,which they encircle.Rigidly secured tothe opposite extremites of the screws E E' from thefaces F F' are the hand-wheels J J', bymeans of which the adjustment ofthe screws is ac-l complished.

In the employment of my improved clamp the plurality of slabs or blocksare placed between the clamping-faces F F', as indicated in dotted linesin Fig. 2, which are screwed up firmly against the outer faces ofextreme slabs.- The clamp and load are then suspended in the properposition over the rubbingbed by means of a suitable hoisting-tackleattached to the ring K of the U-shaped arms L, the latter being looselysecured to the free extremities of the members A A', while the oppositeextremity of the clamp is suspended IOO by a secondary hoist attached tothe suspension-bar M, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) which ispivotally attached to the clamp by the angle-ironsN and bolt O.

It Will be readily seen by reference to the drawings that the derrickattached to the ring K supports one-half the weight of the clamp inaddition to the entire load, while that attached to the bar M merelysupports the weight of one-half the clamp.

It is further evident that the load suspended in this manner is free torevolve about the inner extremities of the screws E E as pivots and thatadjacent edges of the slabs or blocks may be treated on the rubbing-bedwithout the necessity of readjusting the screws E E, which are held in alocked position during s uch revolution by the lock-nuts I).

To increase the rigidity of the clamp I have provided the transversebolts Q, whose eX- tremities protrude through the side plates R andengage with the nuts T, while any longitudinal movement is prevented bycausing the boltsrto rest in depressions a in the flanges of the beams AA.

As an additional means for more firmly binding the clam ping-facesagainst the load I have caused the screws E E to project beyond thehand-wheels J J and formed them with a square cross-section to receivethe mouth of a wrench, by which additional leverage may be exerted. Thecontact-surfaces V of the clamping-faces F F are also leadfaced with aview to increasing the security of the clamp; and to increase the rangebetween the faces I have cut away the inner surface oi' the castings D Dto allow the faces F F to recede iiush with the faces of the beams A A.

In the employment of my clamp it is my intention to accomplish thetransverse squaring of the slabs by the positioning and shifting ofweights on either of the arms A A between the I-brace C and castings DD.

By the employment of the improved construction and assemblage of partsherein shown and described the successful treatn ment and necessarymanipulation of the slabs or blocks on the rubbing-bed is accomplishedwithout necessitating the objectionable and labor-consuming operation ofreadj usting the clamping-screws, and in view of the fact that marbleflooring and wainsceting are new being so -widely employed in buildingsthe adaptation of a clamp to the reception of a plurality of similarslabs is of more than minor importance.

I am perfectly aware that various changes in the relative position andproportion of parts of the devices and members herein shown as anembodiment of my invention can be made in adapting the clamp to themanipulation of various sizes and forms of material without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I thereforereserve the right to make such changes and alterations as fairly fallwithin the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A stone clamp provided with similarly constructed opposite members,each bearing at its free extremity an adjustable clamping jaw having itsinner bearing face constructed to revolve independent of the remainingportions of the clamp, and a yoke pivoted near the freeends of saidmembers by means of which the clamp is suspended as set forth.

2. A stone-clamp comprising rigid parallel and relatively stationarymembers each provided with an adjustable screw clamping jaw, the bearingfaces of said jaws being capable of revolution independent of the re!maining portions of the clamp, and means for securely locking said jawsin a clamped position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

M J IIAWLEY. lVitnesses GEO. T. KNOX, M. TRANOR.

